Hamas bigwig makes first Gaza visit in 30 years

The deputy chairman of the Hamas politburo, Musa Abu Marzuk, has visited the Gaza Strip for the first time in 30 years. Sources say he is believed to have entered Gaza through the Rafah crossing, apparently with Egypt's permission, and to have met his family in Rafah.

He also reportedly conferred with senior Hamas officials on the negotiations that might free captured Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit.

Speaking from Cairo after his return, Abu Marzuk reiterated that if Israel wants to get Shalit back, it must free all the prisoners on the list of 450 names presented by Hamas. The list includes leaders of the Hamas military wing, responsible for many suicide attacks in Israel.

Israeli officials said yesterday they were not aware of the visit and did not authorize it. They believe the move might be an attempt to boost the Hamas-Fatah reconciliation talks by establishing a direct link between Hamas in Gaza and the group's leadership based in Damascus.

Earlier in the weekend, Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas said a Palestinian national unity government would acknowledge the two-states-for-two-peoples solution. A Hamas spokesman in Gaza, however, said Abbas' statement might undermine the reconciliation talks. Also, Shalit's father, Noam Shalit, told Haaretz yesterday that he will meet with negotiators, including top Israeli negotiator Ofer Dekel, to hear updates on the latest round of talks in Cairo.